2 Peter 3:10-13

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness." 2 Peter 3:10-13

I really can't wait for this day! It is the hope that I look forward to. Some people look forward to the day when school is out, some look forward to marriage, and others to the day when they retire. For me, I look forward to the day when Jesus comes, and I know its a promise He will keep whether it will be during my lifetime or not. It will start like a thief in the night, when we are not expecting it. Scripture teaches that when Jesus comes, He will reign on the present earth for 1000 years before the final judgment, at which time the current heavens and earth will be destroyed to give way to a new heaven and new earth. Both will be the home of righteousness. Currently there is a separation between the heavens and earth because of the sin curse, but there doesn't seem to be any such separation between the new heaven and new earth. So given the promise, what kind of people should we be? Peter tells us that we ought to live holy and godly lives. What does that mean? I believe it means that we should live lives that are separated unto God! That we are a people who are becoming less like the world (following its sinful desires) and more like Christ, giving God the Honor and Glory that is due to Him! Peter says something that fascinates me after answering that question. He says we should be a holy and godly people as we look forward to the day of God and SPEED ITS COMING. Does he literally mean that we can speed God's coming by being holy and godly people? He must, but I don't know how this works. Some believe that God's promise of His coming will not happen until all people groups are reached with the gospel based on the fact that every tribe, tongue, and nation will be represented in the new heaven and new earth. It is logical that if we seek to live less like the world and more like Christ, giving God the honor and glory that is due to Him, then the renown of Christ will be magnified and the gospel spread to unreached places. I honestly don't know, but in some way we speed God's coming by being holy and godly people. In what ways are you like the world in your actions, attitude, responses, and thinking? How can you become more like Christ in those areas? Are you looking forward to the day of God or are you living short sighted? Take some time to think about those questions and make appropriate changes.

Comments

kuupid said…
you can't not speed God's coming, nor slow it down. No one knows when He will come, nor do we know the exact time of the end. Only God knows this.
September 27, 2008 at 11:00 PM
Jon Pickens said…
I completely agree that we don't know the time when He will come, but I would like to hear your take on the Peter's statement "as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. What do you think he means?
September 28, 2008 at 7:48 AM
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